Plate-supporting means



Dec. 7 1926. 1,609,280

B. H. CALDWELL PLATE SUPPORTING MEANS .Qrigina], Filed Sept. 24, 19

. WITNESS: INVENTOR. W Caldwell v QW ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 7, 192%.

BURR E. CALDWELL, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO U. S. LIGHT &HEAT CORPORATION, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, A COEPORATON OF NEW YORK.

Application filed September 24. 1317, Serial No. 192,880. Renewed June24, 1922. Serial No. 570,719.

The present invention relates to plate supporting means.

In large storage batteries, as for instance, those used in marineservice, it is necessary 5 to provide special means for supporting thestorage battery plates. In lifting the plates out of the cells for thepurpose of inspection, or for any other purpose, it is common practiceto do such lifting by means of the cell posts. It is common practice toprovide four cell posts for each cell and the lifting is done on allfour posts, whereby to reduce the stresses on the plates to a minimum.As the plates are lifted out of the cell by the cell posts, the platesof one polarity tend to swing away from the plates of the otherpolarity. To overcome this tendency, it has been common practice tobandage the plates together after they are drawn part way out of thecell.

The present invention has for one of its objects the provision ofplate-supporting means whereby the plates may be securely supported fromthe walls of the cell.

A further object is to provide plate-supporting means which willcooperate with the plates in .such a way that when the plates are liftedfrom the cell, said plateswill be locked together, whereby the tendencyof .m the plates to swing apart will be effectually resisted.

A further object is to provide a construction in which treeing acrossfrom plates of one polarity to plates of the opposite polarii ity willbe minimized.

Referring to the drawings- Figure 1 is a sectional view illustrating oneembodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2- represents on a larger scale a plate-supporting memberaccording to the present invention.

The walls of a battery cell are indicated by the numeral 1. A number ofplates in said cell of opposite polarities are indicated respectively bythe numerals 2 and 3. Straps 4 connect all of the plates 2, which are ofone polarity, while straps 5 connect all of the plates 3 which are ofthe opposite polarity. As stated above, it is common practice to providea pair of cell posts for each of the straps 4 and 5, which cell postswill be placed adjacent to the opposite ends of each strap. Each of theplates 2 and 3 may be of the same configuration and is prothe lugs 6, 6.Each ofsaid shoulders 8, 8, i

also supports a supporting member 9 which is of comb-shaped formation.The teeth' 10 of said member 9 are adapted to straddle the lugs 6 of theplates 2 and 3. The lugs 7 of the plates 2 and 3 are adapted to restupon the top of a member 9. By this construction the lugs 6 of eachplate will be supported on the one side by a shoulder 8 and on the otherside the lugs 7 will be supported by the member 9 which in turn isSupported by a shoulder 8. The space between the lugs 6 of the plates ofone polarity and the lugs 7 of the plates of opposite polarity should besufficient to receive the transverse portion of the member 9 lying abovethe space between the teeth 10. Said transverse portion of the member 9should fit loosely between adjacent lugs 6 and 7, when the plates are inposition in the jar. WVhen it is desired. to lift the plates out of thecell by the terminal posts, said members 9 will effectually lock theplates against turning movement relative to one another, whereby nobandaging of the groups will be neces sary.

It will be noted that the adjacent sides of plates of opposite polarityare supported at different levels, whereby should. any deposit formeither on the shoulders 8 or upon the members 9, said deposit cannotpossibly form a short circuit between plates of opposite polarity.

According to the present invention a very sturdy construction isprovided which is cheap to manufacture. in which short-cir cuiting isminimized and in which handling is accordingly facilitated.

It will be noted from the drawings that the cross-section of thatportion of the member 9 above the space between the teeth 10 is aparallelogram having other than right angles. It will be clear that anyother angular relation may be provided if desired.

The described embodiment of the present invention is chosen merely forthe purpose of illustration and is not to be ccnsidered.

a limiting sense. Many modifications may be made therein, It is desiredthat the patent shall cover all such modifications that come within thescope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

WVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-- 1. In a battery cell, a jar having shoulders onopposite Walls, plates each having lugs on opposite edges thereof,certain 0t said lugs being adapted to rest directly on certain of saidshoulders, and supporting meanson each of said shoulders uponwvhichother of said: lugs are adapted to directly rest. I

2. In battery cell, jar provided with means for supporting batteryplates from the side walls, plates in said cell, each of saidpla-teshaving side lugs, the lugs on adjacent sides of alternateplatesbeingz; spaced apart vertically, and a plurality of combshapedmembers each having its teeth rest ing upon said first mentioned means,the transversely extending portion of each of said comb-shaped memberslying between said spaced apart lugs.

adapted to abut against opposite parts of I said plates to preventswingmg movement of said plates, and a jar for said groups, said jarbeing provided With transverse means for directly supporting portions ofsaid plates and said transversely extending means, said transverselyextending means being adapted to directly support other portions of saidplates.

4. A battery cell having a side wall pixevided With a shoulder, batteryplates iaving their edges adjacent to'said side Wall, alternate plateshaving lugs adapted to rest upon said shoulder, a combshaped memberhaving teeth resting upon said shoulder and straddling said lugs, theremainder of said BURR H. GALD WELL.

